This invention relates generally to a belt sanding apparatus having an endless abrasive belt trained over both a drive and a driven roll for finishing a workpiece, and more particularly to such an apparatus having at least one workpiece support table located along a side and/or an end of the apparatus frame, the support table or tables being mounted to the frame for four-way adjustment relative to the belt. The or each table is capable of vertical, horizontal, tilt and roll adjustments relative to the belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,536 discloses a belt sander having a side workpiece support table capable of horizontal, vertical and roll adjustments relative to an endless sanding belt which is itself mounted on the frame for adjustment along a transverse axis and about a longitudinal axis relative to the work table. This prior art apparatus is, however, incapable of having the workpiece table adjusted about a transverse tilt axis so as to present as large an abrasive surface of the belt as possible to the workpiece during operation. Moreover, the workpiece table adjustments require rather complex procedures and cannot be accurately made.